The Moon Glows Red
by Greentreetall
Summary: To control Elemental magic is to be shunned by all who once loved you. I was born with this ability, thrust into a world I didn't want to live in and forgotten by my family. Running away was easy, but staying hidden is a whole other story.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns the characters.**

**All mistakes are my own.**

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I breathe through my nose, letting the cool air sting as it slides down my throat and fills my lungs.

The soft pelt of rain quickens as it hits the black waterproof fabric of my umbrella, the sound grating on my nerves.

Light flashes across the field, lightening the towering pines from beyond the mountains before the loud clap of thunder shrieks through the echoing forest.

The storm is close.

I pull my coat tighter around me as I crouch down over what's left of the body.

The stomach had been ripped open, and the entrails removed creating a hollowed bowl inside the body. I turn on my heel, my eyes scanning the ground around the corpse.

No blood.

My hands tighten, my fingers curling into fists and pulling the black leather gloves tighter around my skin.

_Anything? _

I shake my head at his question and stand up.

"It didn't happen here" I say out loud, sighing and turning away from the ragged torso.

_That's a thirty mile search area. _

"I know" I turn towards the shadow just under the tree line and walk towards him "but at least we know he stays close to home."

_Where are you going?_ His ears shift backwards as I move past him.

"Diner" I say over my shoulder.

Jacob's paw's hit the ground behind me, his weight pressing against the drowned forest floor.

_This is hardly the time to be eating. _

"I'm hungry" I shrug as I step over a fallen log.

Jacob comes up beside me, his body dwarfing mine as he moves with that animal grace. I graze the top of his head with my hand, the fur shinning with rain under the now fully risen moon.

_You are always hungry_ he barks a laugh and I glare at him.

"Laugh it up, but for that, you can walk" I say as I push back the dripping branches of the pines that hang close to the ground and step into the road side ditch.

_That's really mature. _I can picture his eyes roll.

"I'll see you in five" I call over my shoulder as I jump over the flowing creak water and climb up the side of the ditch.

_I'm not saving you a seat. _

I wave my hand over my shoulder and unlock the door to the ancient Ford that's parked on the shoulder of the empty highway. I lift myself into the cab, the door squealing as I shut it and the motor protesting as I start it.

I toss the umbrella to the ground and shake my head of the rain.

I twist on the heat and shift the gears.

The roar that it coughs mingles with the howl of Jacob as he runs alongside me.

I grab the phone sitting on the seat beside me and wait until it begins to ring. I slide my thumb under the screen and flip it open, holding it up to my ear.

"Yeah?"

I bring the tip of my gloved finger to my mouth and pull it between my teeth, tossing it to the side, the other following.

"You're late" he mutters his voice rough and tired.

"I'm always late" I return, squinting my eyes through the rain soaked windshield.

"This one was important" he sighs.

"They always are" I glance at the clock.

**10:29**

"When are you getting here?"

"Uh, never?"

"Bella" he says and I hear him shifting in his chair through the phone.

"Charlie."

"Would it kill you to call me Dad?" he sighs again.

"Yes, yes it would."

I hear him rub his jaw through the phone and I picture him running a hand through his grey and thinning hair. "You and I need to talk" he says.

"No, we really don't" I shake my head and turn off the highway and onto the back road that leads into the city.

"It's not what you think" he insists.

"Mhm" I mumble as I pull up to the stop light.

"Bella, I just need to talk to you, can't you give me that much?"

I shake my head even though he can't see me "No."

"You can't just shut me out like this" he says, his anger beginning to boil.

"Actually I can, I've gotten very good at it. Here let me show you" I snap my phone shut.

I pull up to the brightly lit diner parking lot and lean my forehead against the steering wheel.

"You need to see this" says Jacob as yanks open the door and shove the newspaper into my face.

I frown at him and grab it from his hands.

"You couldn't wait?" I mumble as I jump down from the cab and slam the door.

"Nah" he throws an overly warm arm over my shoulder and pulls me towards the diner doors.

Bells chime as we walk in and head towards the booth in the very back.

Jacob slips off the leather jacket he probably just put on and hangs it over the seat. His black hair is slick with rain and sticks to his forehead while the rest of his clothes are bone dry.

Dark eyes watch mine as he fiddles with the frayed edge of the newspaper while he waits from me to sit.

I slide in across from him, dropping my jacket along the seat and grabbing the menu that sits between the salt, pepper and sugar.

"Read" he whines and pushes the paper towards me.

I shake my head and hold up my hand. "Hold your fucking horses" I flip through the grease stained paper.

Jacob huffs and folds his arms across his chest.

A waitress comes over to us, all smiles, and hair dye. I eye the fake black that accidently dyed the skin of her hair line a faint grey following along the discolouration down to her brightly painted pink smile. Her lips stretch as he looks from me to Jacob and I notice a small swipe of lipstick on her teeth.

"What can I get you?" she grabs her notepad from the front of her apron and flips it open, her smile never slipping.

"Coffee, three cream" says Jacob and smiles at her, his voice oozing out and over her. I shake my head at his attempts of Manipulation and snort when she doesn't seem affected at all. Rolling my eyes, I turn back to the menu.

"And you, Hun?"she asks me. I open my mouth opens to respond.

"She won't be taking anything" says a voice above me. A voice I have come to loath with the very marrow in my bones. I narrow my eyes at the menu, never looking up.

I press my lips together as the urge to scream at him consume me, I tap my fingers against the stained table before answering: "Actually I was going to say that I'd like..."

"Nothing" he says and I can feel him glaring at my head.

I breathe in deeply, my hands curling around the edge of the table.

"Bella" he warns and I growl in frustration.

I turn to look up at the waitress and she gapes before swallowing heavily "I'm sorry Miss" she bites her lip and her eyes shift nervously "we have a policy" and looks towards the door at the sticker that now is just as common as 'No Shoes, No Shirts, No Service." A tiny blue rain drop, a little lick of an orange flame, a small gust of curling wind, and a miniature boulder all sit in little red circles with lines slashed through them. "No elementals" She whispers and shifts from nurse shoe to nurse shoe.

I close my glowing eyes and breathing through my nose.

"We're leaving" says the reason for my anger as he grabs my arm and lifts my body with ease.

I bite the inside of my check against the rising anger and clench my eyes shut. I rip my arm from his grasp and grab my jacket. I turn to look at the waitress and sneer "Magic-ist" before shouldering past the man in my way and out the door.

I can hear his footsteps behind me as I move through the rain.

"Bella, stop" he commands and my legs root to the concrete. I grit my teeth and press against his grip.

"Don't do that" I hiss as I pull against his hold. He tightens his magic, the cord like barrier biting into my skin before dropping it down completely.

"You have to go back" he says, walking closer to me.

I turn on my heel to face him.

His once free blown hair is now slicked back against his head, not a hair out of place, making me want to ruin the perfection. A black tie hangs in contrast to his stark white dress shirt looking as if he pulls on it, trying to loosen the knot at his throat. Silver cuffs reflect against the street lights, flashing the coat of arms of the all magic beings. His black shoes are spotless even with the rain and his dress pants that hang on his hips have not a single wrinkle. I narrow my eyes at his belt buckle that just like his cuff links bear the coat of arms.

"The hell I do" I fold my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at him.

The bright blue glow of Manipulator magic rings his iris, flaring as magic thrums through his body, it slowly consumes his normal green eyes.

"It's against the law, Bella" I feel him reach out with his magic, slowly running the heat along my jaw, he caresses my face like a hand. "You have to come back."

I close my eyes against the familiarity of him and rip away from his touch.

I flick my hand at him, sending the stones from the side of the road at his head.

He ducks as they sail over him and pelt against the glass of the car on the other side of the parking lot cracking the glass.

"I'm not going back Edward. I'm never going back" I twist my hand over the puddle under his feet and pull it up into a ball of water, hovering over the ground "and keep your magic to yourself" I drop the water over his head, drowning that over-sized ego and that ridiculous suit.

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**A/N: Hello to all those lovely readers out there. **

**Yes, **_**another **_**story. **

**But this story will **_**only **_**continue if I get enough feedback seeing as I already have stories on the go. **

**Chapters will only be about this length so I'll be able to update more often. **

**So, if you want this to continue, let me know!**

**It's all in your hands. **

**Massive hugs. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns the characters.**

**All mistakes are my own. **

**Just a quick thank you to all who reviewed and alerted this story, along with all you who favourite this. You are all amazing. **

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"Why do I feel like the Senate is going to come and break down our door any second?" asks Jacob as I slam the door in question and toss everything on the old shaking chair we use as a table.

"Because you worry too much?" I look over at his hulking body that's wedged into the tiny pink embroidered loveseat at the end of the hallway and snort. "You look like a parent waiting to scold their child after they snuck out."

Jacob cocks his head, sniffing the air, he frowns. "What did you do?" his eyes narrow as he folds his arms over his chest.

"Why do you assume I did anything?" I mimic his movements.

"Besides the fact that I can smell it on you?" I huff "It's you" he shrugs like it answers everything "I have come to accept the fact that living with you results in many home repairs."

"I resent that, the last time wasn't even my fault" I pick up the mail from the floor and thumb through it.

Jacob sighs and pushes himself out of the chair "I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer."

"You just did" I grin and drop the Senate letter back to the floor.

"They aren't going to stop" he sings as he walks past me and into the kitchen.

"Yeah, yeah" I mumble and step over the letters and into the kitchen with Jacob.

I jump onto the counter and pull my legs to cross them in front of me while watching him move around the stove.

"You know you have to go back" he says with his back to me.

I frown and stick my tongue out "Coming from you of all people" I shake my head.

"Bella" he sighs and I bite my lip "it isn't a life sentence" he turns and leans against the counter across from me.

"May as well be" I mumble.

"You're impossible" he shakes his head before pulling out his phone and running his fingers over the screen before nodding and turning away to look through the fridge.

"You read the paper yet?" asks Jacob, his ass in the air as he paws through the contents of our almost empty meat drawer.

"I was a little busy, if you didn't notice."

"It's on the table" he points to the tiny card table in the dining room.

"Just give me the bare details" I say sending the paper a disdained look.

Jacob sighs and looks at me over his shoulder "Another went missing."

I bring my thumb to my teeth and chew on the nail "another?"

"That what it says" he shakes his head. "She's fifteen Bella, fucking fifteen and that bastard took her."

"From?"

"Ballet class. Paper says she was supposed to be picked up by her mom afterwards but she wasn't there."

"How do they know...?"

"That he took her?" I nod "same as all the others, pictures everywhere, they were pasted all over in the alley behind the building" he sighs again.

"I don't get it, why take all that time to stalk her, collect all the pictures just to leave them behind, it just doesn't make sense" my teeth work against my lip when the sharp sting makes me drop my thumb.

"He wants everyone to know he's doing it. The papers were eating this shit up, and he's fucking loving it. He's bragging, shoving it in the cop's faces that they can't do a fucking thing. They've got nothing and he's knows it."

"He slipping" I insist as I jump down from the counter and walk over to grab the paper before bringing it back with me to my spot. "The papers aren't working on him like they once were, he's getting angry, he wants them to notice him."

I don't need to open it, right there on the cover is a picture of a blonde baby doll of a girl. His hair is pulled away from her face and hanging down her shoulders in matching braids. Bright eyes stare back into my own while her smiles spreads along her face.

_Bree Tanner, fifteen years old, was reported missing early this morning after never meeting her mother yesterday evening. All though it is not yet confirmed it has been rumoured that this abduction is the fourth in the ongoing investigation of __**The Seattle Shredder**__, whose name was given after the discovery of the mutilated body of eighteen year old Jessica Stanley late last fall. _

I grimace as I read and look up at Jacob.

"You know just as well as I do we still know nothing about this guy."

"That's not true, we know that the pictures prove he's been following them for longer than the few days he would have in between abduction and body dump" I shake my head

"And that helps how?"

"He follows them while he still has his other victim, why isn't he waiting?" I ask myself, ignoring him.

"Maybe he's eager" Jacob sneers at the thought.

"Maybe" I agree "but that still does answer _why_ though."

"He's a sick fuck, what more is there to get?"

"I just feel that the more we get, the less we know."

"That's very philosophical of you" he snickers slightly and grabs something from the crisper.

"Bite me" I snort when he snaps his teeth and I can see the smile on his face even though he'd turned away from me.

Jacob's grin falls from his face when he looks at me "Bella" I release my lip "I know you want to help, trust me, I do, but there are some things we _have _to leave to the police. You can't catch every criminal."

"I know that" I snap "but you and I both know we're better qualified than half the fucking squad. If they just let us on the force" I mumble the last part.

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"It's magic-ism!" I exclaim, throwing my hands in the arm.

"Bella, you can't run a fucking mile without collapsing, trust me, you being an Elemental had nothing to do with their decision."

I frown at the back of his head as he chops vegetables "You are aware it is" I look at my watch "twelve o'clock at night right? Not the most common time to prepare a three course meal. And in all honesty, I'm not very hungry."

Jacob snorts and shakes his head "You're _always _hungry, remember?" I roll my eyes "And besides, this isn't for you." I raise my brow "Leah's coming over."

I grimace and hop off the counter "and I'll be leaving."

"Bella" Jacob whines as he follows me out of the kitchen and down the hall to the guest bedroom "can't you at least try?"

I shake my head "Nope." I open my door and grab the already set backpack on my small desk.

Gotta be prepared for when your roommate has a booty call.

I grab the straps and swing it over my shoulder.

"Stay" Jacob complains and manoeuvres his body into the doorway.

"I am not hanging around and listening to you two bump uglies" my mouth twists and I push against his body. "Jacob" I grunt as I shove my hands into his stomach "move!"

"You're being ridiculous, Leah is my girlfriend" he folds his arms in front of his chest and looks down at me "she's more than just a sex buddy."

I gag and shove at his body again "I'm not sure why you felt the need to clarify that to me but now that you fully ensured I'll need to scrub my brain with bleach, will you kindly get the fuck out of my way?" I huff.

"No" he smirks at my panting.

I narrow my eyes and flick my wrist to the granite paper weight on my desk.

"Bella" Jacob warns.

"Move" the rock flies across the room to hover over my up turned palm "or I'll smash in your face."

"Where is the love?" he puts his hands over his "broken" heart.

"You'll heal fast" I shrug and raise the rock a little higher.

"You really don't want to do that, Beauty" says a honey sweet voice behind Jacob.

I grind my teeth and clench my fists. The rock begins to tremble along with my hand. Edward murmurs in Jacob's ear and he nods before stepping back and away from the door.

"Don't ever call me that" I spit at him.

"It's your name" Edward shrugs and folds his arms across his chest.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" my voice is clipped as I stare at those ringed eyes, my fury blurring the colour.

Edward frowns at my language.

To _fucking _bad.

"We weren't finished talking" he says, shrugging.

"So you just decided to come over to my house?"

"I told you, _we need to talk,_ I don't know how I can make that more clear."

"Did it ever cross your mind that maybe I'm don't want to talk to you?" I raise an eyebrow at him. "And while we're on the subject of you being in my house, how the hell did you get in here?"

"It's wasn't locked" he shrugs.

"So you just walked in?"

Edward taps his lip with one long finger "yup, seems to be that way."

"That's trespassing" I bite out.

"Call the police then" he takes out his phone "Hell, I'll even dial for you" he holds his hand out to me, his sleek phone sitting in his open palm. I bat it away and growl. "Oh yes, that's right" he smirks "I can just tell them to turn around and leave."

"Using Manipulation on normals is against the law" I drop my bag to the floor and cross my arms.

"Beauty" he says moving closer to me "I am the law."

I flick my hand and the rock comes between on faces. "Oh please, not that bullshit again." I let the rock hover in front of his perfect nose. "Like I haven't heard that one before" I scoff as I twirl my finger around and let the cool granite bump against the tip.

"Drop the rock Bella" he says, his voice hardening as the magic works its way through the words. He force hits me square, my hands tremble, the need to act out his command crippling everything in my body. My legs cramp as the pain of not following orders circles them, trapping me in my spot. I groan against the strain, my arms locking tightly against my body.

"Now, Bella" his voice lined with steel, it wraps fingers around my throat and squeezes.

My air feels stuck and I can't suck the air down into my lungs. The pressure builds along my ribs as I fight the urge.

"Drop. It." Each word a sentence, the command forces it's self down my throat to fill every vein in my body.

I shake my head as the pain increases until I can't hold back the sob.

I cry out as my hands slip and the magic drips from my finger tips, loosing contact with the stone.

The rock drops, the sharp end denting the wooden floor as it bounces away.

"Why do you do that? You should know by now" he says, his voice tense.

"I do."

"And yet you still defy me, still put yourself through the pain" he shakes his head, his eyes irises completely consumed by the Manipulation glow.

"Why stop what I'm best at?"

Edward shakes his head and reaches his hand into his pocket, pulling out his cigarette package and shaking one into his hand and pressing against his bottom lip. His hand cups the tip as his other flicks his lighter, igniting the tip, drawing on it before pulling into two fingers and offering to me.

I shake my head "I quit."

He frowns "we always used to share a cigarette."

"We did a lot of things that were bad for me together."

Edward pulls on the end and blows the smoke away from us "You have to come back" he says, his voice softer. "You can't run away from it anymore. From any of it."

"I'm not running."

"Beauty" he sighs and looks down at me. I feel his magic pulse around him and I know he's holding back the urge to let it touch me again.

I look him in the eyes and tell him the truth: "I hate you."

Edward sighs, his hand running through his hair "I know."

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**A/N: This story's continuation completely relies on the feedback I receive. **

**Like it? Tell me. :]**

**MASSIVE HUGS.**

**P.S. I totally stole a line from a show. Can you guess which one or which show? Teehee. **


	3. Chapter 3

**S.M owns all characters**

**All mistakes are my own.**

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I remember my mother and I sitting down in the living room. The TV was roaring behind us, mindless. Some TV show that never made it past the first five episodes.

Her feet were propped up on the coffee table and a cigarette was glowing between two stained fingers. She sat in front of me, her eyes looking into mine, but not really seeing me. A haze hung between us.

She brought the filter to her lips and pulled the toxins into her lung. Holding them there, her back arched against the back of the couch as she struggled to keep the smoke in her body.

Her eyes began to water and I watched in wonder as the veins of blood that crept along the whites of her eyes shimmered like gems under water. Her cheeks puffed as she tilted her head back, puckered her lips and blew the smoke up and away.

I can still hear that sigh of content.

Her eyes fell to mine and she offered it to me.

I shook my head and put my hands up.

Her eyebrows pulled together as she looked at me before she thrust the burning tip into my palm, burning my life line.

I yelped and pulled my hand away, my eyes watering. She held it up to me again, her eyebrows raised at me.

I frowned at her and gingerly took it from her fingers, my hand arched away from the embers. I held it away from me and watched the smoke lazily dance in the dimmed light.

"Don't think, just do" her voice was heavy, laced with that day's fix and I bit my lip and stared at the lipstick stained filter

"I don't think that's a good idea" I mumbled and looked up at her.

"You'll need it" she said.

I frowned at her, my free hand clenching at my side.

"I'm not you" I said quietly.

"Not yet" she said and nodded towards the cigarette again.

"Not ever" I insisted and held it away from me. "It won't take me."

"It takes everyone."

"They let it" I said and look at her.

"You're naive" she says, her voice to slurred to sound angry.

I frown at her again.

Just wanting her to shut up.

I looked down at the burning tobacco and then up at her glazed eyes.

Don't think, just do.

I growled under my breath and closed my eyes; bring the burning stick to my lips and pulling the smoke in.

It burned, searing my throat as the heat swirled through my body. I felt it in my nose, coating the skin as it branded me from the inside. Coughing overtook my body as it desperately tried to rid the chemicals from my body. I felt my lungs reject the smoke and my stomach heaved. I clasped my hand over my mouth as I fought the urge to vomit.

I could hear her laughing.

"Happy?" I wheezed as I whipped the tears out of my eyes.

"That's my girl" she said and pushed her shrinking body up, her legs shaking. She grabbed the bottle that sat beside my crossed legs on the table and wrapped her boney fingers around the neck, tipping her head back and guzzling the last of it.

"When James gets here, send him up will yeah?" she called as she staggered from the room, her hair tumbling down her ridge back in greasy curls.

"Yeah, Mom" I mumbled as I stubbed out the cigarette and coughed again, my eyes filling with tears again.

James didn't come that night, and the geode stone I bought her broke our TV.

He didn't come the next day either, and the water pipes flooded the basement.

Or the next, and our stove lit the kitchen a blaze.

He didn't even come the next, and a tornado destroyed the left side of the house.

By the end of the week our house was gone, and Mom had popped the last of the pills, to kill the pain, and herself. She died in the bathtub, the water overflowing along the porcelain lips.

I've been smoking ever since.

_**xxx**_

Edward came into my life the day my mother left it.

I sat on the straight back black fold up chair near the podium, my ankles crossed as I stared between my slightly parted knees to the ground. I swirled my finger around and watched the tiny stones follow the movement.

The Priest was droning on, the heat was relentless, and the people behind me were discussing all of Mom's bad habits.

The sun was angry today, ignoring all pleas for mercy. The rays beat against my black clothed back as I listened to how God was forgiving my mother for all her sins, even though we all know he was paid to say it.

No one was listening to the service.

The man beside me was murmuring into a cell phone, his leather gloves stretched over his clenched hands.

His voice was clipped and angry.

"I don't give a fuck, you make fucking time" he paused to listen to the person on the other side, his jaw working "I didn't give you another option" he states, his free hand pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just get it done" he snaps in a whisper. "I don't care how, just fucking _do_ it" and he snapped the phone shut just as it began to vibrate again.

"Mind going somewhere else to do your business calls?" I snapped, turning my head to look at him, his eyes glowing a bright blue. I my frown deepened "Manipulator."

He scowled at me, his jaw grinding and his fists clenching before he pushed himself to his feet and pushed past the people behind us.

I glared at his retreating back before turning forwards and watching them lower my mother's body into the ground.

Condolences followed.

The absent father showed his face after seventeen years of absence.

His body was cold, distant; as he looked down at me with only a look a Normal can give an Elemental. His hand patted my back but it was without comfort.

He was playing a part.

I thanked the people who took their time to come and tell bullshit lies about my mother at her burial and sidestepped anyone who tried to hug me.

People said it was my grief, that I was pushing away their love because I was heartbroken. But really, it was because I didn't want them blubbering on me, let alone breathing.

They didn't know I was just like my mother.

If they did, they wouldn't have tried to touch me. Instead they would have taken those looks they thought were stolen and told their stories of me, just as they told them of my mother.

Grains of time slipped through my fingers as I watched people pass me by.

The hours ticked by, the vicious movements of the clock's hands driving me outside and away from it all.

I was sitting on the concrete steps that once led to my home when he walked up.

The man who was playing Dad for the day was standing off to the side, screaming into his phone as the insurance people told him that they don't cover someone if they commit suicide.

His voice was rubbing against my nerves as I flicked my lighter again and again, heating the metal with each burst of light.

"Yeah? Well fuck you too, buddy!" he yelled, pulling the phone away from his ear and holding the mouth piece to his lips.

"Fucking imbecile" I muttered as I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and pursing my lips around the filter.

I felt, more then I saw the shadow loom over me, blocking the scorching heat from my neck. Someone cleared their throat before asking in a honey sweet voice "Aren't you a little young to be smoking?"

I don't look up as I flicked my lighter "didn't ask you" I mumbled around the cylinder. I breathed in the smoke and blew out and up towards the figure.

I heard him inhale deeply "Got one to spare?" he asked as he looked down at me eyeing the smoke as it rose from between my lips.

I looked up and scowled at Cell Phone Guy "Nope."

The man's coat was long, the end brushing the stone ridden walk away as he moved. His eyes were covered this time in reflecting sunglasses that were perched on the end of his nose. His hair looked as if he'd stuck his finger in a light socket, the ends reaching up towards the sun as it reflected a strange mixture of honey and copper tones along his angled features.

He pursed his lips before pulling his sunglasses off and tucking them inside his coat.

"I think I may owe you an apology" he sighed, his fingers running through his hair.

"And if I gave a shit about what you thought, I may say you're right" I pulled the tobacco into my lungs and blew it up, raising a brow at him "was there something else you wanted?"

"Edward" Daddy dearest clapped Cell Phone Guy on the back before shaking his hand.

I grimaced.

"Charlie" Edward greeted, his smile mirroring my own.

"Thank you for coming so quickly" said my father as he continued to shake Edward's hand.

"I was in town on business" said Edward, his eyes flicking to their grip before he gently pulled his hand from Charlie's grip "it was on the way."

Charlie nodded before looking over Edward's shoulder and down at me. He frowned as I puffed smoke into the air.

"Isabella" his lips were tight "you know how I feel about you smoking, don't you."

I rolled my eyes and flicked the soot "And I told you I didn't give a fuck what you think."

Charlie's jaw grinded as his eyes narrowed towards me "What did I tell you about that mouth of yours?"

"Is that rhetorical?"

His nostrils flared as we stared each other down. Charlie broke contact first, his eyes turning back to Edward and smiling. "I'm sure you're in a rush; let me get the paper work."

"Actually there are things that still need to be sorted" said Edward, looking down at me.

"It's all in the paper work" said Charlie as he turned away from us and walked to his car. He unlocked the front seat and grabbed a manila folder. "I'm her legal guardian and I signed all the necessary paperwork with my lawyer after we talked."

I pushed myself up from the steps, dropping the butt to the sidewalk; I ground out the last of the heat with the toe of my high heeled shoe. I folded my arms over my chest and looked at my father.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You haven't told her" said Edward frowning at my father.

"I didn't need to" he shrugged and handed the papers to Edward "Go ahead and look them over, they're all there."

"Tell me what?" I asked, but they weren't listening to me.

"Seventeen" says Edward and looked at me, his eyes lingering on my face.

"For another two months, I got the right."

Edward grimaced as his thumb flipped each page of the folder.

"Can you please stop fucking ignoring me!" I snapped at Charlie, my anger beginning to consume me.

He turned to look at me "I'm sending you away" he flipped his hand in the air like he was shooing a fly.

I felt my mouth gape "What? Are you fucking kidding me? This is some sort of sick joke right?"

"No joke, sweetheart" sneered the absent father "I got shit to do, so you gotta go."

"You can't do that" I argued, my fists clenching "you have no right."

"Says I can right there" he hooked a thumb at the papers Edward held "I got every right."

I looked over at Cell Phone Guy, my eyes pleading with his to tell me Charlie was lying but when his eyes meet mine they held only pity.

Pity for that young girl who just lost her mother and was unwanted by her father.

For me.

I bit my lip against the anger what welled inside of me.

My fists clenched as I looked from Edward to Charlie.

I felt the heat flick between my shoulder blades. The pain a welcomed feeling as I stood before the two men. It crawled along my spin, inching heated fingers along my bones, searing my body from the inside. My fingers itched to flex, to control as the rage closed my throat.

"Charlie" said Edward, his voice warning, but it didn't matter.

He was to slow.

And I was too fast.

The hinges of the door squealed behind us as the weight of the house shifted under the pressure. The glass shattered, hundreds of diamonds rained down over us, the flat surfaces catching the dying sun.

"Isabella, you better not—" said my father, his eyes wide flicking back and forth between my own and the house behind us

"Goodbye Charlie."

The bricks lodged themselves free from the cement that made the house stand.

I don't remember much from that day, but I do remember the feeling of the ground shaking beneath my feet as thousands of stones fell from the sky.

Charlie didn't die that day.

But a little part of me did.

It was a month before he was released from the hospital with nothing more than two broken legs, courtesy of the magic workers.

He would live a normal life.

By that time I had already spent three weeks at the Senates School for the Elementally Gifted.

Normal never entered my life again.

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**A/N: thank you to all who reviewed, alerted and favourited this story. **

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	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: S.M owns the characters**

**All mistakes are my own.**

* * *

"Knock, knock!" comes a high pitched voice down the hall, as she opens the door and walks in.

"Sure" I mutter to myself, "come on in, everyone else seems to be" I huff as I tighten the straps of my get away pack.

"Expecting company?" asks Edward, his body against the doorframe. He folds his arms in front of his chest and smiles, that ridiculous smile. Somewhere off in the apartment I can hear Leah giggle as Jacob attacks her. She squeals as Jacob laughs, his voice booming as his steps echo through the hall. I hear his bedroom door slam shut and then nothing. My stomach rolls and I fight the urge to gag.

"Bite me" I mutter as I move past him. I try and force the fact that he let me pass out of my head as I step around his towering body.

"Gladly" he calls after me.

I grind my teeth as I walk down the narrow hallway and into the kitchen.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Fighting the urge to not cut off his oxygen supply on the spot, I lean over the counter and grab the newspaper I dropped there earlier. Swinging my bag around my body, I stuff it into the front pocket before pulling the straps back over my shoulders and turning to the front door.

"Going somewhere?" he asks, his body dwarfing the doorway

I glare at him "What was your first clue?"

Edward sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose then drags his hand over his mouth and down his chin "Ten minutes, Bella, that's all I need" He looks down at me, his eyes the dull green they normally are.

"It'll have to wait; I've got more important shit to do." I move towards him.

He frowns at me "It can't wait" his jaw jumps as he grinds his teeth "I have other stuff to do as well and I certainly do not have time to chase after a rouge Elemental all over Seattle"

"What, more unstable little girls you need to recruit?"

His face hardens, his lips thinning "Bella" it's a warning.

I look down at my watch before holding up my hand. "You have five minutes" I move past him "Walk and talk Edward or don't talk at all."

"In a hurry?" his steps mirror my own.

"What's with you and stating the obvious?" I grab my keys off of the chair/table and open the door "I'm leaving Jacob" I shout over my shoulder and walk over the threshold.

Edward shuts the door behind us and I walk down the hall of the old apartment building.

"You're wasting time" I say over my shoulder.

Edward sighs and moves to walk beside me "I hoped to do this under better circumstances" he says.

I snort "You think I would see you and invite you in for tea? Just forget everything and welcome you with open arms? Are you high?"

"You don't drink tea" he says ignoring my other questions.

"I could drink tea." I snap at him

"But you don't."

I open my mouth to respond but snap it shut and move my legs faster. "Is there a point to this, or do you just like making me angry?"

"I'm getting there" he says.

"Get there faster," I move past the elevator and push open the heavy door that leads to the stairs.

"The council has indulged this fantasy of yours for long enough." He says, his arms draped over the ledge at the top landing.

I grind my teeth, my fists clenching at my sides "And what _fantasy_ is that?"

"You know what it is" he sighs.

I stop on the stairs and turn to look at him "No, Edward, I don't, why don't you enlighten me?"

Edward's lips thin "You know these aren't my words."

"Actually, I think this is exactly what you'd say."

"I didn't want it to be this way" he shouts, his voice echoes in the small space, bouncing against the walls before slamming back against my ears. I watch as his eyes colour with rage, their pale green brightening with the blue halos. "This isn't what I wanted!"

"We can't have everything you want, Edward" I snap. "You choose this life, I didn't. I don't want anything to do with the council. I didn't then, and I don't now. Why can't you understand that?"

"Because it is treason" he whispers, his voice cutting.

"They are not my Gods, as they are yours" I bite and turn around again, jumping the last two steps and rounding the landing.

"This has nothing to do with God" he shouts as he follows.

I stop short and turn to look at him; his face is red with anger, his rage pulses in his eyes as his fist tightens around the railing. "How can you stand here and lie to me? You cower at their feet as they deal out punishments to people they deem unworthy, but because they rule us, that makes it fair. They play themselves out to be Gods, and you follow their lead like some lost fucking puppy." I shake my head "You make me sick, Edward, you and every last one of their admirers. But unlike you, I will_ never _let someone else decide my fate again. I deserve to live a life free of them and their rules, their punishments, their _lies._"

"How can you just turn your back on the people who raised you? How can you just walk out of the people who clothed you, fed you, taught you?" he's yelling again.

"It's a skill I have become particularly good at" I shout as I push open the door to the lobby, slamming the heavy steel shut behind me.

_xxx_

Edward doesn't follow me out, nor does he catch me at my car. I look over my shoulder for any sign of his broody face but all I see is the elderly doorman who leans heavily against the crumbling doorframe. I raise my hand when he turns and smiles at me and wave slightly before turning and hopping into the truck cab.

He doesn't know what I am, if he did, I doubt he'd acknowledge me at all.

I don't know exactly when it started, or if it really had any beginning at all. Dose hate really have an origin? Or is it born just like we are?

I used to imagine that someday it will die like humans do, run its course, and fade away until we no longer remember what it felt like to be consumed by that sick burn.

Then I grew up.

When I was younger I didn't understand the looks the woman gave my mother in the supermarket every Tuesday. Nor did I comprehend why the man at the gas station would go out of his way to ignore my mother's inquiries on their service pump. He would look at her in disgust before turning away and smiling at the gentlemen whose car didn't bare the Elemental stamp on the bottom left hand corner of the windshield like ours did. Just like the one that used to mar my windshield before I scrapped it off and left the council.

I would ask her why he would do that and she would smile at, slide her hand along my cheek and say "Because we are different" then she would get out of the car and pump her own gas as the man who was paid to do it sat and read the paper.

I wanted to ask her how we were different, what made us so awful that people went out of their way to make us hurt but I said nothing, just watched as my mother hummed softly to herself and watched the gas meter climbed higher.

What always struck me as funny was that no matter what the people did to my mother she always came back. I don't know if they hoped she would stay away if they were mean enough, that she would eventually understand that they didn't want her there, but with every comment, and look, and action thrown her way, my mother would just smile, say good afternoon, grab my hand and walk out.

"They don't deserve to hurt me" she'd say as we drove home, our groceries tucked tightly around my body "and I don't deserve to be hurt."

I used to think she was perfect.

She proved me wrong.

I sigh as I turn the keys. The engine coughing as I shift gears and force it to move, the axel connecting the tires squeal as I turn it onto the almost empty road and turn South, driving out of Seattle and towards the forest.

_xxx_

Charlie doesn't live close to anything. Down an uneven and unmaintained road lies the tiny log home that he shared with his last wife, Sue, who recently discovered my father was not the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

Smart woman.

The windows are dust covered, caked so thickly that Charlie isn't a body but a blurry shape that moves through the small rooms.

My truck roars as I pull into the thin driveway, my headlights cutting through the darkness and park in front of his old police cruiser, an ancient machine that he "saved" from a junk yard three years ago.

He was never a cop.

As I slam the rusted door of my car shut I hear the unmistakable snarl of Charlie's dog. He thrashes against his chain as I move towards the door. His midnight fur standing on end he, curls his lips back and growls, a rumbling sound that shakes his body.

"Can it, pooch" I glare at the dog, his yellow eyes wild.

His barking volume increases and I narrow my eyes and flick my hand, my fingers pointed towards that foul creature staring at me, creating a small tidal wave in his water bowl. The water arcs over the plastic lip and sprays up into his face. He snuffs the water invading his nose and dripping down his face.

I snicker at his drowned face and walk to the door, pushing it open without knocking. I kick off my boots and look around the dreary space. A haze seems to hang in the air, thickening the air in the hallway. I cough, swatting at the smoke and move down the narrow paneled hall.

There are no pictures of me in this house. None when I was in public school and mom was alive. I remember her smiling over the camera as she took shot after shot of me on every first day of school before the magic fogged her brain.

She used to tell me she was sending them to my dad and that he always loved seeing my smiling face.

I guess she lied about that too.

Turning to the left I enter the kitchen. A small stove sits on the far wall, the white paint chipped and yellow around the burners, rust is eating away at the seams where the metal was first put together.

A one door fridge stands against the wall beside the door, it too is rusted and yellow, newspaper clippings are scattered over the magnetic surface, all curling from age and discoloured. Faces of people I don't know stare back at me from the grainy print, and I realize that they're Sue's children. They faces smiling at the country paper as they smile with various awards, soccer, science. I tug on the edge of the one of Seth, Sue's youngest, holding a soccer ball towards the camera. His face is distorted with the age of the newspaper but it's him, when he was ten, and his team won the championship.

It was a big deal around here then.

"Careful with that" he slurs his voice as heavy as the sick smell that lingers in the air.

"How very parental of you" I nod towards the other pictures "Aren't even your kids and you got them plastered all over your house like some proud daddy."

"They're good kids" he says and heaves himself into one of the two chairs around the small wooden table.

"You mean they're normal kids" I say and turn to lean against the fridge.

His thinning hair is combed over his head, the front slick with sweat its plastered to his red forehead. Bloodshot eyes look at me through thick rimmed glasses, his face is unshaved and uneven, like he tried to shave once but gave up halfway through. He's dressed in hole ridden jeans, the blue of the fabric now nothing but a faint memory, they are so old they're almost white. A greasy jacket hangs off his shoulder, the first five buttons on the front are missing and the pocket on the breast is ripped so it's hanging on by one side.

"Yeah," he pauses as if to collect his train of thought "they ain't fucking freaks" he stumbles over his words as he brings the beer can up to his lips and takes a strong pull. "They're normal, good kids, and they love me" he smiles to himself and closes his eyes, leaning his red face against the wall.

"They ain't your kids" I mock him "I may be a freak, but you fathered me, you fathered a freak" I push off the fridge and move around him. "This what you wanted?" I nod between us "'cause I got other shit I gotta do."

"Nah" he waves a sloppy hand in the air "I need a little help" he doesn't open his eyes "rent's due and I'm short."

"And that's my problem how?"

"Come on Bella, help your old man out, I'm in tight here" he looks up at me, his lips pressed in a pout.

"That supposed to make me feel bad for you? You look like you just sucked a lemon" I snicker.

"Goddamnit girl" he shouts and pushes his body out of the chair to stand over me "just give me the fucking money!" His face fills with blood as a vein pulses at the side of his temple. He steps are wobbly as he moves toward me to wash his stale beer breath over my face.

I tap my chin as I look at his heated skin, the booze leaking from his pores "Um, no thanks, I think I'll pass this time, but thanks for the offer." His eyes blaze hotter as I make a move to leave "Anyways, it was swell, it really was, but I better be off. See yeah pops." I salute him before moving under his arm that was pressed against the side of the fridge. My eyes widen as his arm coils and propels towards me. His fist thunders against the side of the fridge as I run down the hall and grab my boots.

No time to put them on, I tuck them under my arm and push my legs to move. His scream of pain echoes through the small house, his curses follow me as I run out the door. My bare feet sting as I run over the upturned rocks and gravel.

I can hear him running after me; his feet uncertain under his weight make him stumble within the narrow hallway.

I throw open the truck door and jump. Fumbling with the keys I force it in and turn it. The engine roars before sputtering out.

I growl and smash my fist into the steering wheel.

"God damnit!" I twist again but the same thing happens again. "Come on, come on" I mutter as I twist the key again. My breath whooshes from my lungs as it catches and coughs to life. I look out the windshield as Charlie throws open the front door and looks at me. His eyes are so dark my heart stumbles. I throw the gear shift in reveres and step on the gas. The tires turn in the gravel before pulling out of the driveway.

My father runs after my retreating vehicle. I push the shift up and jerk the wheel away from his home. My tires squeal against the old asphalt as I press on the gas. I look in the rear view at Charlie, my taillights lighting his face in sharp angry angles. He stands at the end of his driveway, his fist above his head and his threats in the air.

I push the gas harder as I try and escape his face.

It follows me home.

* * *

**A/N: Been a while hasn't it :P Sorry for that!**

**Hope it was worth the wait lol.**

**If you liked it, let me know.**

**It relies on you!**

**Peace to you all and massive hugs :]**


	5. Chapter 5

**S.M owns all characters.**

**All mistakes are my own.**

They're watching me.

I can feel their eyes as I shift in my seat.

I glance over the rim of my mug and raise a brow at the three men across the diner.

They don't acknowledge me as they chat amongst themselves, their bodies casual as they lounge on the cracked pleather of the seats.

I shake my head and pull my phone from the pocket of my jeans. I slip my thumb under the screen and flip it up. Pressing the speed dial I hold it up to my ear, my eyes following the bunched shoulder of the one man who's back is turned to me.

"What do you want?" grumbles a gravelly voice through the tiny speaker.

"I'm being followed" I sigh and pull my coffee back up to my lips.

"It's five in the fucking morning" they whine.

"I can't control when psycho's are going to follow me" I snap, leaning my elbow on the table I turn to the waitress that sits at the cash register, a cracked romance novel propped open under her nose.

"Maybe you shouldn't do stuff that warrants being followed" they sing, now fully awake.

"I don't have time for this" I rub my hand over my tired eyes.

"We always share witty banter" they complain.

"Witty?' I scoff.

"You know, for someone who needs help you're being awfully snippy. Ever heard of the words 'please' and 'thank you'?" he titters.

"How about the words 'I'm going to stab you'?" I mumble and down the rest of my coffee, grimacing at the sugar that collected at the bottom.

"Death threats, really?"

"Emmett" I clench my jaw and close my eyes.

"Bella" he mocks me and I shake my head, trying to breathe through my nose. "I didn't call you because I missed you" I remind him.

"You wound me, Bella."

The men shift with me as I push myself out of my seat and throw the money in my pocket on the table. Pulling my keys from my pants I palm them as I move past the lusty romance-novel enthusiast and smile when she looks up at me.

"Have a good day" she says, her flushed face pulling as she smiles before turning back down to her book.

I move past my table of admires and nod to them as I push open the door.

I watch in the swinging reflection as they move to follow.

"I have very little time here, Emmett" I say as I make my way across the empty parking lot.

I hear a sigh from my phone "What do you need?" he asks and I imagine him rolling his eyes.

"I'm sending you their pictures; let me know if they show up anywhere" I mutter I turn to lean against the driver's side of the cab.

"Dude," he scoffs "when I'm done, you'll know everything down to their last prostate exam."

I grimace and turn to watch the door open and the three men step out. "Don't call me 'dude'. I'll talk to you in five" I snap my phone shut.

They move in a row, shortest to tallest.

Like little toy soldiers, they march towards battle.

I roll my eyes and quirk my eyebrows.

The tallest man has his long dark hair pulled away from his rat like face, his shoulder hunched, I watch his hands clench at his sides as the muscles under his long sleeved shirt ripple.

I groan as the other two follow suit.

The middle man, the only one of them that doesn't look like he descended from the rodent family, cracks his knuckles and smiles at me, one of his front teeth are chipped and yellowed like the greasy hair that hangs from his scalp.

The shortest man, the best dressed of all the men with a three piece suit, isn't smiling but watching my hands as they move towards me. I cock my head and follow his perfectly pressed suit pants to see he's wearing high heeled boots, black leather.

_The fuck…_

"That's a nasty habit you have there" I purse my lips as they move closer to me "real nasty."

Their jaws clench and their shoulder bunch.

"Highly addictive, werewolf blood is" I muse as they stop in front of me. "Tell me, did you shoot up just to try it, or did they promise you some bullshit?"

They growl and I nod "Bullshit."

"Shut up" snarls the tallest.

"I hope you didn't believe them when they said you'd be able to fully turn" I drop my arms and twirl my hand beside my hip "that would be just stupid" I say and the middle man spits at me.

"He told you to shut up" he growls.

"I decided I wasn't going to listen to him" I shrug my shoulders and watch the track marks in his elbow ripple.

"Then you're fucking stupid" chimes the shortest, his voice is much higher. I suddenly wonder how old he is.

I flip my other hand in the hair "your opinion."

I watch as their jaws pop, the bones shifting under the skin as they elongate. I grimace as spittle trails their lips, sliding along their lengthening teeth.

"Oh dear, had a little too much did you? That's going to hurt to come down off" I shake my head, clucking my tongue.

They snap their naked snouts as they growl at me.

I sigh as I twist my hand, my fingers curling into my palm. I watch as the tallest one begins to choke. His human hands grab at his half changed throat and a strangled scream leaks over his tongue. Blood rushes through his veins, staining his skin as he gulps at nothing. His eyes bug, the whites brighter against the crimson of his flesh. His knees quiver before dropping under his weight. His nails drag along his skin, their dirtied tips leaving white lines on the stained meat of his throat before they drops to his sides and his body crumbles to the side, his fingers twitching before paralyzing in their movements.

The two beside the unconscious man stand staring at their fallen pack mate before turning towards me and growling, their jaws snapping as their lips pull back over their teeth. Their legs bunch and I know they are about to spring their drugged up bodies on me.

I sigh and jerk my hand up, the asphalt under our feet trembles before slamming up between us and curling around the two addicts, the black stone imprisoning their bodies, crushing them against the ground.

I step over the wave of tarmac and crouch in front of the two snarling men.

"I tried to do this nicely" I shrug as they struggle "you gave me no choice."

"Nicely" the smallest one spits against the blood that stains his pretty teeth and sneers.

"Yes, nicely" I frown and drop back on my ass to sit cross legged in front of them "_I _wasn't the one trying to rip your throat out."

"You killed Garret" he snarls.

"Garret?" I look over my shoulder at the limp junkie and chuckle "oh, he isn't dead. Although he'll probably wish he was later" I shrug at them and drop my chin into my cupped hand "But thus is the world we live in, eh?"

They continue to cruse me as I watch them struggle within the stone.

I sigh and look at my watch "Shit, I gotta go. You wanna tell me who sent you?"

"Fuck you" they both snarl and I nod.

"I figured as much."

I push myself up and walk over to Garret and snap a picture of his now fully human face and turn back to the other two. I snap their pictures, frowning at their distorted faces.

I send all three to Emmett before dialing my phone and holding it up to my ear.

"911, what is your emergency?" asks the voice of a bored woman.

"I need the report an attempt on my life to the Senate" I grimace as the words burn my tongue.

"Are you in any kind of danger right now ma'am?" asks Phone Lady.

I sigh "Nope."

"One moment please."

I tap my foot against the asphalt and step over the burritoed men and lean against my truck again.

"Senate Guard, Edward speaking, how can I help you?"

I glare up at the grey sky and I close my eyes "Why do you hate me" I grumble towards the heavens as I drop my head against the window, it smacks against the cold glass.

"Beauty?" he asks and I scowl.

"Don't call me that" I snap.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, Edward, I just called to see how you were, I missed you" I snap "Oh course there is something wrong, you think I called in hopes that you would pick up? Trust me, if I knew _you'd _pick up I would have left it alone."

"Bella, what happened?" he asks, his voice calm, like a true Senate member.

Ick.

"I have three junkies here, one unconscious, two, um, detained and I need someone to come pick them up."

"What the hell are you doing with blood addicts" he snaps.

I glare at the brightening parking lot "They followed me."

"Son of a bitch" he mutters as he moves as away from the phone to mutter something to someone away from me "Where are you?"

I scoff "Please, don't try and tell me you aren't tracking my phone right now, give me _some _credit."

Edward sighs and says "Stay by the diner, an officer will be there soon."

"Sorry, I gotta jet, peace Ed" I snap my phone shut before he can grind his teeth at his nickname.

I look down at the rolled up guys and sigh, "See yeah" I tip my head and pull open the door.

I slam it shut as the two conscious men start to scream.

My truck roars to life, drowning out their cries and I pull out, shifting gears I press down on the gas and turn out of the parking lot, watching the coloured lights flash as they pass me.

**_xxx_**

I push open the door, my head handing as I push my legs to move forward. Jerking the keys from the lock I drop them to the floor and slam it shut behind me. Dropping my keys on the floor my boots quickly follow. I drop my backpack as I move down the hall towards my bedroom.

I know she's there as I move past his bedroom. I can smell hear as she leans against the threshold.

Sex and Avon perfume.

I wrinkle my nose.

"Bella" she drawls.

"Isabella" I correct her and walk away, not even bothering to look at her "we aren't friends." I say over my shoulder and open my bedroom door.

"Alright _Isabella _how about this? You don't piss me off, and I _won't _break all those _lovely _little bones in your back?" she's got one of those overly sweet voices; those ones that you know are as fake as they rest of their overpriced bodies.

"You're wit is truly uncanny, Leah, and I would _love _to exchange barbs with you right now. But I have better things to do, like enter a coma, so do us both a favour and go fall down the stairs so I don't have to hear your voice?" I enter my bedroom, slamming the door behind me as drop face first into my bed.

"Aren't you a peach?" she sneers as she throws the door back open.

"Go. Away" I mumble through my covers.

"I kinda like your room" she muses and I hear her sit her ass on my desk.

I let my senses drift through my room before wrapping around the abandoned paper weight. I curl my magic around the rough edges and jerk it from the floor.

The sound of the stone connecting with her flesh followed by her howl of pain makes my stomach ache with laughter.

"You bitch" she shrieks.

I push myself up as she moves towards me. Her nose bent to the right as her blood stains her dark skin. Her black curls are tumbling over her shoulders and down Jacob's police academy t-shirt.

The stone comes up between us and I raise a brow "you really want to try that?"

She stops, her fists clenching at her sides as powers ripple underneath her skin.

She's breathing heavily, her chest heaving as she glares at me, her eyes shifting from wolf to human.

"Get out" I grind my teeth and point towards the door.

She growls before turning on her heel and storming through the threshold, leaving the door wide open.

"You could have closed the damn door!" I yell at her and drop back against the bed, the rock tumbling to bounce against the floor mat and rolling underneath the bed.

I drape my arm over my eyes.

"One" I mutter.

I can hear her snivelling.

"Two"

I can hear him consoling her.

"Three"

I can hear his anger.

"Four"

I can hear her satisfaction.

"Five" I turn my head, peeking from underneath my arm as Jacob storms down the hall and into my room, his hand shooting out and slamming the door behind him.

"What the fuck Bella!" he's yelling, the strain purpling his face.

"She's fine" I mutter and I turn back.

"That isn't the damn point!" he moves towards me and yanks my arm from my face.

I glare up at him "Isn't it?"

"No" he growls and begins to pace.

"Then what is exactly?" I prop my body up and watch him.

"You can't treat her like that" he snaps.

I scowl at him "You know for a werewolf you have very selective hearing" I mutter and drop back against the mattress.

"We're not talking about her behaviour right now" he barks at me.

"We should. It's hers that led to her broken nose" I shrug the best I can lying down.

"Bella" he warns.

"I'm tired" I whine "can't we discuss my anger management later?"

"Now" he growls.

I twist my face at him, "Fuck, you're annoying."

He runs a hand through his bed tossed hair and grind his teeth "I need you to accept that she is part of my life, Bella, a big part" he says and stops pacing to watch me.

"She's a junkie!" I yell and push myself from my bed to stand in front of him.

"She is not" he snaps.

"She shoots your blood" I remind him. "What would you call that? Fucking devoted?"

"It is not any of your business" he growls.

"You made it my business when you brought it into the house!"

"What Leah and I do behind closed doors is our personal business" he snarls.

His eyes shift like hers did, but unlike Leah, I know Jake can shift if he wanted to.

"So I'm just supposed to ignore the needles that she leaves lying around the bathroom then am I?" I glare at him, my anger matching his "Would that make your little fantasy seem more real?" I sneer at him and immediately regret it. I drag a hand across my face "Look, Jacob, I'm sorry I said that I'm—"

He holds up a hand and shakes his head "You've said enough. Thanks for being supportive Bella, really, what are friends for right?" He glares at me before turning on his heel and walking out of my room, slamming the door as he does.

I groan and drop back onto my bed.

"Fuck" I mutter as I stare at the ceiling.

"You really can be a bitch, can't you Dude" sings a voice from the open window.

I growl but don't lift my head as the vampire enters my room without being invited.

"Don't call me 'dude'" I mutter as Emmett lays on the bed beside me and snickers.

"Bad morning?"

"I suppose" I close my eyes "get something?"

"Nah, I just missed your pretty face" he slaps my cheek and I bat away his hand blindly.

"I don't do vamps, your lifeless heart just doesn't get my motor running."

"Once I take a bite, you'll scream my name all night."

I groan, "oh god, _please _tell me you did not just say that to me."

"It was worth a try" I can feel him shrug.

"Trust me, it wasn't."

"Hey" he taps my nose "be nice or I won't tell you all the delicious stuff I found."

"Continue, oh great one" I mutter.

"I suppose that'll do." I open my eyes as Emmett pulls his massive body onto my bed and sits cross legged in front of me. His short curl-tastic hair is windblown from his jumping up to my window, and brown eyes with his bloodied whites look down at me, he's all smiles and dimples as his fangs pierce his bottom lip.

"Don't be cute, just tell me" I mutter and let my lids fall again.

"You always ruin my fun" he whines.

"Yeah, yeah, out with it."

He huffs "Fine. I could only get the one, Garret Reed. The others were way to fucked up" I nod and he grimaces "He was in and out of Juvie until he hit eighteen, all minor stuff, possession of your generic tastes, pot, mostly. Small thefts, nothing serious. Once he hit eighteen he upped his ante, participating more in your hard core narcotics, he was involved with trafficking mostly, you're old stuff, coke, E, meth. I suppose he was good 'cause it wasn't long before the big leagues noticed him."

"Werewolves" I mutter and he nods.

Emmett sighs "He worked for them for what seems a long time, somewhere down that line he started using." I nod "unfortunately he wasn't arrested until after being caught trying to cross the border with 500 mL of werewolf blood."

"Fuck" I shake my head. "He would have gotten prison time" I say and open my eyes to look at him.

"He did" he says "Three years into his sentence there was a heavy riot."

"Of course" I mutter, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Five guards were killed and fifty-six inmates escaped."

I bolt upright "are you telling me, that fifty-six psycho's are running lose in America and I didn't know!"

"It's not like the government would advertise something like that" he scoffs "and a large number of them were found before the even made it into the cities."

"Why is that not comforting?" I mutter, my body so tired I fall back against the bed, rubbing my eyes. "This is so fucked."

"Yep" Emmett pops the 'p'

"You have no good news?"

"Not really" he frowns before jerking his head towards my door. "Someone's coming."

"I don't live alone" I mutter.

"I know that, Bella" says Emmett and I feel his weight leave my bed.

"So you point out the obvious because?"

"Because I don't live here" says the man in my doorframe.

I push myself up and scowl at him "And yet you seem to be here more than I am" I mutter, my eyes narrowing as he moves into my room.

"Nice" he comments on the naked white walls.

"I told you, I'm not here very much."

"Why not?" He leans against the wall that the head of my bed rests against and folds his arms over chest.

"Reasons."

"And they are?"

"None of your business."

He sighs and looks over at Emmett "Edward Cullen" he reaches a hand towards him.

"Emmett" he shakes his and pulls away and looks at me "I'll let you know if I get anything else" I nod and he leans forward and lays his lips on my cheek. I roll my eyes at his display and wave goodbye to him when he moves towards the window, steps outside and drops off the fire escape.

"Vampires" Edward shakes his head "always with the dramatic exits."

I turn towards him and frown "why are you here, _again?_"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay" he says and runs a hand through his gel free hair.

"I'm just dandy" I say and pull myself to rest against the headboard. "And now that that's settled, you can leave, and I can sleep."

"I need to ask you a couple questions, Bella" he says.

"Not now, I'm too tired to function anymore."

Edward presses his lips together before he sighs and nods. "Sleep" he commands and moves to sit on my desk chair.

"What do you think you're doing?" I raise a brow at him.

"You need to sleep and I need answers, since you can't give me what I need till you have what you need I'm going to wait."

"So you're going to watch me sleep."

"No, I'm going to wait till you've slept."

"Which essentially means you're going to watch me sleep."

"Bella" he sighs.

"That's pretty creepy Edward" I tell him and he raises a brow.

"You didn't mind it before" he reminds me and I stiffen.

"No, but back then I didn't mind a lot of things about you, now I know better." I narrow my eyes.

His lips tighten "Go to sleep Bella. I'll be here when you wake up."

"That's even less comforting then the serial killers running amuck in our grand country" I mutter.

"Sleep" he says again.

"If I wasn't so tired I'd throw a rock at you" I mutter as my lids begin to fall "and I still hate you."

"Dully noted" he says.

"Don't watch me sleep" I mumble as I let my heavy head fall against the pillows.

"No promises" he chuckles.

"Fuck…you" my words are slow as my tongue weighs against my teeth.

"Goodnight Beauty."

And then because it had been twenty-four hours since I last rested do I sleep.

And even though Edward is watching over me, like he used to do, I don't sleep well.

I dream of Bree Tanner, and if she's still alive.

**A/N: thank you to all who review, favourite and alert this story. You are all so amazing. **

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**Thanks to all.**

**Massive hugs and peace. **


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